Volume Four Third Time Lucky
by xxhanzyxx
Summary: Someone has found out the identity of Batman! And what’s the link between the perpetrator and Nightwing? Also is Barbara's vigilante work really over?
1. Chapter 1

Third Time Lucky

_**Chapter One**_

Present day…

The cracking of over worked knuckles echoes through the quiet room all bar the quiet humming of the computer and the fast typing on the keyboard at the hands of a rather inquisitive teenager, he continues to search through many different articles, film clips and photos which have crammed the computers memory, years and years of collected information checked over continuously with a fine tooth comb for longer that its worth remembering, then at exactly 2.15am, which he considered know as not late, just so that there would be enough sleep before school starts but tonight there's no need to stay up

"Oh my god!" The gasp whispered in front of the computer monitor as he pushed himself away from the computer, jaw dropped before his shocked expression turned to one more pleased

"I've got you now"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

_Present day…_

"Tim!" An excited girls voice filled the bus stop outside of school

"Uh… yeah" A rather dazed Tim turned around to follow where the voice was coming from to see a cheerful dark haired girl run towards him "Oh hey Arianna" He attempted to sound more enthusiastic

"What's the matter with you?" She stopped just before bowling him over as she looked at his rather slacked body

"Me? Well it is Monday morning, its school, need I go on" He sighed as he begrudgingly walked up the steps to class

"Were you like this in all you other schools or is it just Gotham's air?" She asked inquisitively at the 'New boy' who she decidedly took under her wings, much to the other girl's disapproval

"Well I have been here a couple of months now, cant say I ever remembered the smell there is now in the air back when I use to come visit Gotham" He looked up at the murky sky due to the chemical plants, which hung round day or night

"So you use to come to Gotham regular?" she raised an eyebrow as they continued their walk through the corridors

"My dad use to bring me to the circus when I was a kid, they never came round where I lived" Tim smiled as he remembered those days when his dad was well

"Yet even though seeing the place before hand, you stilled moved here, if I had my choice…"

"Even though this place, I guess is a dump there's still Bruce Wayne"

"Bruce Wayne!" She laughed, "What on earth has a middle aged playboy got to do with it?"

"Well um… he does own Wayne enterprises and they do lots of scientific research into my dads illness which will hopefully cure him, us living here means he's in the band for treatment" Tim's mentally pats himself on the back for his quick comeback

"Oh" Arianna replies confused "Well anyway this is my stop, see you at lunch?"

"Yeah sure, bye Ari"

Tim continues to walk down the corridor before a strong slap on the back brings him back to reality

"Timbo… my main man how you been, didn't see you on the weekend, oh wait, we never see you on the weekend, sure you haven't secretly got a girl?" The loud blonde hair boy forced people to turn to look at him, which was his plan

"No I haven't" He replied, secretly tired of all the questions off everybody, his life is far from interesting

"Well then when are you going to make your move?"

"My move, what so you mean Archie?"

"On Ari- Ari" He struggled

"Arianna?"

"Yeah so you know who I mean"

"Were friends" He tries to sound like he hasn't though about it

"Yeah a hot friend who befriended you for no other reason than that she likes your boyish good looks, hey you shaved" He jokingly rubbed his hand on Tim's cheek which he quickly brushed off

"I'm not looking for a girl right now" He quickened his pace hoping to leave Archie behind

"Come on Timbo, your sixteen things are legal now, you don't get a girl soon all the good ones will be taken, Arianna wont wait around forever, plus you'll start to get a name for yourself"

Tim stopped and turned to face Archie who walked straight into him "What kind of names?"

"Well uh" He stuttered as he rubbed the back of his head for ideas "look I don't need to spell it out for you, your bright you'll figure it out, i'm late for class" He then tapped Tim on the back before moving hastily up the corridor, Tim giving himself a mental note of how to get rid of Archie before going to class


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter ThreeTen years earlier…

"Tim you ready son" Jerry called up the stairs for the third time

"Yeah almost Dad" A young Tim called down as he continued to run around the room

"Well you better hurry up otherwise you'll miss the best performance" Jerry smiled as he heard Tim running down the stairs

"I don't wanna miss that dad, can we hurry up" He jumped in one place continuously

"Sure, think i'm just about done pretending to be an acrobat" He raised an eyebrow down at Tim knowing what he had been playing up stairs "You break another bed and it will be coming out of your pocket" He jokingly toyed as he ruffled up Tim's hair as they left the house.

Tim could hardly contain himself in the car as they pulled up outside of the circus and leaped out as soon as the car had stopped

"Hurry up dad, people are already going in, we wont get good seats" He ran in front of his dad towards the big top

"You'd think by now they'd give us seats in the centre ring" Jerry quipped to himself

"Tim, its good to see you again, what is it third time this week?" The man in the Box office cheeringly joked

"Yeah, dad said if I was still good at the weekend I could come again as well"

"Did he now, well I guess I will see you Saturday then, hello Mr Drake, two front row seats, saved them especially for you" The man handed over the tickets before leaning towards Jerry "And I have managed to arrange that thing you were wondering about, compliments of the ringmaster"

"Oh thank you, he will be most pleased" He turned to see his six-year-old son waiting patiently at the curtains

"Hurry up dad they're starting"

"Coming"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four Present day…

"Odd" Batman remained baffled at the large computer screen in the cave "Alfred have you used the Cray recently?"

"I'm afraid not Sir?"

"Odd" He repeated as he started a search software "What about Dick, has he been here recently?"

"Not for many a week now Sir, possibly Oracle?"

"No there's no need for her to hack in to the Cray, she has all the information and more, this must have been outside work"

"Hacked in sir? That sounds serious" Alfred replied concerned

"It is, especially in the wrong hands, have Barbara heighten the security and check what information they have retrieved please Alfred" He then moves from the computer to suit up


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter FiveTen years earlier…

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and girls, Thank you for coming and welcome to Haley's Circus" The Ring master called from the big top as the light shown on him brightly

Tim sat next to his dad eating into his candyfloss before he spots dark silhouettes climbing a ladder behind the ringmaster

"There! There they are dad," he pointed excitedly at the three figures high above the ground

"Shhh, I know son, you pointed them out the last three times we have been, sit still and enjoy the rest of the show"

Tim sat watching the entire show silently, as many of the other children laugher at the funny clowns throwing pies or gasped and possibly cried at the lions and their tamer, Tim's was just wishing the time away to the finale

"And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's the time you have all been waiting for, known far and wide for their death defying stunts, their jaw dropping aerial-is-tics and superb performance, it's the Flying Grayson's!!!"

Everyone clapped in excitement but no one more than Tim, who had waited this entire time to see this one performance, even though he knew the set piece by piece he could never see enough of it, He watched, mouth open with every spin, swing catch and drop they performed, knowing almost on queue when the audience would gasp and cheer and then the best came

"And now to finish this amazing performance, I give you the youngest of the Flying Grayson's who at the age of Nine became youngest of only four other people in the entire world to be able to do the quadruple summersault effortlessly and now three years on… still young I may add" He joked "He will perform this most dangerous piece without the aid of a safety net, I give you Richard Grayson!"

"Its him dad!" Tim watched in awe as the light shone on the young boy as he stood and waved at the audience from hundreds of feet high although he was at ground level before jumping off the ledge and performing his set much to everyone's amazement, including a rather inquisitive Bruce Wayne who had also been here many times this week to watch this performance like Tim.

Present day...

Tim sat through each class watching the clock hour by hour minute by minute, second by second. He even considered bunking after lunch just so he could confirm his suspicions but opted not to, though there being no point in risking getting caught and getting into trouble like last time, but thankfully none of this would have been possible if he hadn't.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Eight years ago…_

"Come on chicken" Mike the older brother of his friend Josh provoked him as he stood at the school gate

"What's the matter too ickle to play with the big boys are you" Mikes friend joined in with the taunt

"Come on Tim its only P.E and art, we can do that any time" Josh called from outside of the gates before walking closer to Tim who was still weary and whispering to him "I don't wanna feel stupid in front of Mike's mate ok"

"Ok" Tim gave in, although knowing it was wrong

"That's my boy" Mike roughed his hair up "We better get moving, got this great place we can hang out"

They made there way hastily from the school grounds, it was the first time either Tim or Josh had skipped school but Josh seemed more relaxed about the whole situation than Tim was, it was obvious it wasn't the first time for Mike and his friend though

"Wanna smoke" Mike offered Tim a cigarette

"Uh no thanks" Tim moved back from the pack of cigarettes in Mikes hand

"Wuss… wat about you bro?"

Josh glanced over at Tim "um yeah sure" he took one out of the box and held it to his mouth awkwardly waiting for it to be lit

"That's my bro" Mike punched his brother in the arm, forcing him to sway slightly as he let out an uncontrolled cough

"Are we going or what!" Mike's friend called from the alley

"Where are we going?" Tim worryingly asked as he noticed that they were heading to the wrong part of town

"Keep you knickers on girl, we'll be there in a minute"

It wasn't long before the sounds of raised voices echoes through the alleys that they walked down and the beat form loud music thumped in his chest before his heart started pounding from the screaming and the obvious sound of a gun going off

"Mmmaybe we should go back Josh" Tim tried hard to stop his voice or his hands shaking

He could tell by the look in Josh's face that he was thinking the same thing too, but before they had a chance to replied to each other or even start to walk away a loud shout called after mike

"Where's my stuff Mike, I hope for your sake that's why you have come here" The large man, who was supported by a gang of men warned Mike who seemed as scared as Tim and Josh, Mike

"You want it now cheese?" Mike quivered

"When did you think I wanted it boy?" The large voice sounding more dangerous with each word "I take it then you haven't got it?"

"N-n-no sir I haven't, but I promise if you just gimme"

"More time? Ohhhh mikey mikey mikey, don't you see, if I give you more time, then the rest will expect the same and you know I cant run a business like that, its not personal, but you know I have to make a show of you know don't you, just so the others know not to fool me around" He reaches for his inside pocket to his jacket

"Please sir, don't do this please" Mike collapses to the floor grovelling at the large mans feet

Tim and Josh both gasp as the gun appears out of the pocket, neither had seen a real gun in the flesh

"You kids beta close you eyes, its not going to be pretty," He pointed the gun at Mike who was curled up sobbing, Josh hid behind Tim crying as Tim stood there froze

"You right its not gonna be pretty" A voice replied from above the alley causing them all to look up, but before any of them knew what happened, the man shouted out in pain as the gun was hit out of his hand by what appeared to be a bat shaped boomerang, then no sooner than that happened a blur of colours swooped from above taking the large man out easily, he paused for a moment, giving Tim enough time to see that it was a boy, he guessed around the same age as mike was except his hair was jet black as opposed to mikes wild red, but before Tim had chance to notice anything else he was off again taking the goons one or two at a time which was when he noticed something familiar…

After they were all tied up and he seemed to be contacting someone, he turned to Tim and Josh

"Hey you two alright?" He replied friendly, Tim was surprised at how nice he was after possibly just braking so many bones, they seemed to have watched the whole ordeal for hours which was only minutes, when they went back to school, the lunch bell hadn't even rang

"You did a quadruple summersault!" Tim blurted out, taking the elder boy by surprise

"I did?" The masked boy pretended he didn't know what he meant by that

"I use to go watch the flying Grayson's when I was a kid, there a boy there who could do it, he was the youngest person to ever have done it!"

"Well" He was lost for words "He must have been really something" He smiled to himself

"What's your name?" Josh finally spoke out after seeing his brother and his friend run away

"Robin" He stood proud for a moment "Anyway I bet you two aren't meant to be out of school are you?" He turned more serious

"Nnno sir" The both replied

"Well your lucky Batman's not here, he doesn't like bunkers, so you'd better get back before he sees you I gotta go and catch those two kids" And with that he was gone

"Wow! That was totally cool, did you see how he karate chopped that one guy," Jason shouted enthusiastically as he attempted to re-enact the scene

"Yeah and when he did those summersaults over those other two, they would never had seen that coming, that was the best" Tim replied

"You sure knew a lot about those Grayson's"

"Yeah, me and dad use to see them nearly every night when they were in town"

"If you liked them so much, why did you stop going?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter SevenTen years ago…

"That was brilliant dad" Tim practically glowing from the show

"Yes I know, but don't you get bored just seeing them up there?"

"No dad, there brilliant" Tim sounded disgusted by his fathers remark

"What I mean is, I bet you'd like to meet them wouldn't you?" Jimmy trying hard not to break a smile

"Wouldn't I!"

"Well come on then son" He pulled Tim back to the centre ring"

"Dad! There not going to be here" Tim sounded disappointed

"Well they should be, I did ask them to meet you"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter EightPresent day…

The last bell finally rang, and Tim was more determined to get out of school than he usually was, pushing past others jamming themselves in the doorways, which Tim usually found childish

"Tim, you not waiting for the bus?" Archie's voice shouted over to Tim as he cut over the grass, which clearly stated 'no walking' Tim sighed before he turned to him

"No Archie, I have somewhere I need to be, I'll get there quicker if I walked

"Suit yourself… sure you haven't got a girl?" Archie quipped at Tim as he walked away

"No Archie I haven't" He shouted back"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Ten years ago…

"Nice to meet you Tim, I'm John and this is my family, my wife Martha and our son Dick"

"Nice to meet you sir" Tim still gob smacked to be seeing them face to face

"Your father tells me you enjoy our performance"

"Yes sir" Tim smiled brightly

"That's good, what's you favourite part"

Tim didn't need to think twice before answering, "When Dick does the quadruple somersault without a net…. And when he tight roped all the way across the big top" he replied enthusiastically

"Well you seem to have a fan son, maybe you aught to show him a couple of your tricks" John smiles at his son who sat in the background, surprised by how impressed the young boy is with him

"Uh yeah sure, I can do that" Dick replies, obviously not use with the lime light as he is mostly just looked upon as the young one of the team, hardly the star attraction "Come on I'll try and teach you to tight rope" Dick smiled as he waited for Tim to follow, leaving the adults to talk


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter TenPresent day…

A few miles in and Tim began to wonder if walking was such a good idea, but knew that if he asked to be dropped off here it would cause quite a stir.

He stopped within site of his location, checking his small map he knew that the house that he could just make out on the hill was the one he was looking for and so began sprinting towards the locations in anticipation.

Feeling a stitch about ten minutes in, he paused on the road side breathing heavily, just as he leaned against the stone wall, he heard a loud roaring of a cars engine came behind it, he stopped panting and froze against the wall, luckily at this point it had begun to turn to dusk so he wouldn't get easily spotted, he then heard the large black and gold gates with the emblem 'MW' on them open, he waited still until the red sports car appeared from the gates and went roaring up the road, Tim Watched the car until it was out of eyesight before he turned his attention on the gates, he took hold of the wrought iron gates which stood as high as the sturdy wall aside it, which wrapped around the grounds for as far as the eye could see, he looked through the gates and could only see the gravelled drive way going up the hill before it disappeared behind trees which hid the manor from prying eyes.

He sighed disappointedly, he had this all planned but forgot about the most important part, getting into the manor, but he had come too far to give up now, he looked at the gates in determination, his breath finally back from his sprint, he hurled himself at the gates, climbing them although they were a tree and before he knew it, he was looking at the gates from the other side, he stopped for a moment realising what he had just done and contemplated on how much trouble he would get in for trespassing in one of the worlds most richest men's mansion, but knew that once he could prove his findings, it wouldn't be the police he would need to worry about.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter ElevenTen years ago…

"Maybe when Tim's older he would like to come touring with us, he seems to have the knack" John smiled at the two boys, Tim balancing on the wooden beam, a lot thicker than what Dick would be walking on, and a lot closer to the ground, with Dick following carefully ensuring he wouldn't fall

"Don't go giving him any ideas, I'm already preparing myself for him attempting to hide in one of your trunks" The adults started to laugh as Tim looked over

"Looks like my dad and your dad are getting on" Dick smiled

"Maybe he might be asking my dad to join the circus" Tim replied

"Yeah… it'd sure be cool to have another kid here" Dick sighed

"Do you get lonely?" Tim noticed that Dick seemed sad

"Me no course I don't" Dick become his bright usual self again "Especially since I got Nelly"

"Who's Nelly?"

"Nelly the elephant… come on you gotta know about her" Dick turned to his dad "Dad can I go show Tim Nelly?"

John turned to face his son smiling, but that soon disappeared as he noticed someone lurking behind the two boys, playing with a match between his teeth, Jerry could see the expression turning in Johns face as he followed his glance and also spotted the figure standing in one of the openings

"Uh maybe Tim better go home now its pretty late… isn't it Jerry?" John turns to Jerry who notices what he is doing

"Uh yeah, gosh is that the time, we had better get going kiddo"

"Oh dad" They both moan

"Dick, you heard what Mr Drake had to say" John's voice sounded as anxious as Martha looked

Dick sighed as he turned his attention to Tim "We'll carry on tomorrow yeah… here take this" He then passes a small golden elephant out of his costume pocket and puts it in Tim's hand "Because you didn't get to see Nelly, its my lucky charm, you can give it back to me tomorrow"

"Thanks" Tim said as he looked at the small glimmering object as he walked away

They next day Tim fell ill as was unable to go back to the circus, much to his disappointment, by the Saturday though he was feeling much better and was desperate to give back the charm to Dick, Tim sat upright in his bed, trying to look as well as possible as he heard his dads footsteps coming up the stairs

"Dad! Dad I'm feeling better now, can we please go to the circus tonight, I gotta give this back to Dick… Dad?" His smiled turned to concern as his glum looking father entered the room

"I'm afraid we wont be going to the circus kiddo"

"But dad i'm better look and I have been really good please" Tim begged felling sadder by the minute

"I know you have son, but it's not your fault"

"Then why can't we go!" Tim shouted, sounding like a spoilt child in a toyshop

"There's been an accident"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve Present day…

Tim, just as exhausted as he was at the bottom of the hill finally reaches the top and looks for the first time properly at the manor

"So this is where he lives" He look's up at the rather intimidating building "Spooky"

He then continues to surveillance the building quietly, he guessed that he has people working for him, plus some very high tech security, he also knew about his Butler Alfred, who wasn't in the red sports car, well unless he wore a blonde wig and swooned like a girl while Bruce drove, so he must be in the building and if he works for Bruce, he must also have a very sharp eye.

He decided that a safer bet would be took look further a field as he moved from the house towards the darkening garden, before he knew it, he was shrouded by black, knowing that he couldn't put on his flash light as it would draw attention to him, he continued walking in the blackness blind, the crunching of broken shrubs and the sound of owl's cooing in the high trees began to unnerve him, the final thing to finally tip him was the flock of bats screeching around him, he had obviously disturbed them, Tim fell backwards as he tried to protect himself and began falling down a muddy embankment until he landed in a heap at the bottom, he lay here dazed for a moment as he struggled to get up, feeling every inch of his muddy and scratched body. He knelt up and noticed that he was in an area that he didn't see before, lit only by the whiteness of the moon he saw a far smaller, less elegant entrance to the manor, leading the a less than impressive dirt track, Tim's inquisitiveness getting the better of him, decided that this might be a good lead and decided to follow it as he slowly got up off the ground, groaning with every use of his muscles, he staggered down the track.

He sighed in disappointment at the end of the track, leading only to a rock front, which made the hill, Tim guessed the road must have been used for workers to gain access whilst they were building the manor

"Damn" Tim hit the wall in frustration before noticing the rather peculiar echoes of metal, he paused for a moment, looking at the rock before hitting it again with his fist and again the same noise was produced, Tim looked closely at the rock before realising that it wasn't real, to his suprisement, he tried hard not to gasp. He began racing his hands across the rock and found a very definite straight line cut in the middle of the rock shaped door, Tim looked around desperately for any sigh of opening the doorway and then with his sharp eye saw a small metal button, camouflaged by shrubbery, he instantly pressed it and within seconds the rocks divided, leaving visible a tunnel.

Tim stalls for a moment; unsure he is ready to walk into the tunnel as he began to question himself if he was right in what he believed in

"No… if I don't do this now, I will never know" Tim tells himself as he ordered his body to move fore ward into the tunnel

The darkness disorientates him but he follows his instinct and follows the sound of the screeching from the nocturnal creatures, which have made a home here, he then reaches the end of the tunnel and enters a small cave

"This cant be it" He turned on his broken flash light and shone it off the walls of the cave

"Its not" The deep voice echoes off every wall as Tim jumps in shock, too terrified to scream as he shone the light at the figure before it switches off


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen Ten years ago…

"No! No!" Tim cried to himself as he fell into his pillow "They can't have died!"

"It was an accident son" Jerry sits on the edge of the bed trying to comfort his son

"No it wasn't, they were the best, they couldn't have just fell"

"There job was very dangerous, they took risks"

"No, they were safe, the best… its my fault" Tim whispered to himself

"Your fault?" Jerry replied gob smacked "How is it your fault?"

"Because Dick gave me this and I promised to give it back to him, it was his lucky charm and I didn't give it back to him and now there gone" Tim began crying again as he held the charm firmly in his hand

"Tim don't be daft, that charm wouldn't have made a difference"

"Its my fault there all gone, Dick was the youngest person to do the quadruple somersault an now he's gone"

"Well, I guess its better than no more bad news… Dick is still alive, he's helping the police with the inquest"

Tim smiled for the first time since he knew the news; his friend was still alive "Inquest?" Tim asked puzzled

"Yes inquest, it means he is answering some questions the police want to ask him to try and find out who done this"

"They think someone done this… on purpose?"

Jerry smiled, it never ceased to amaze him how bright his son was "There's always a possibility"

"Dick must be really sad, he was lonely at the circus before… maybe he can come and live with us?"

"I think that's already been arranged, Mr Wayne is taking him in"

"Mr Wayne! But he's…."

Jerry stopped his son from saying anything else "I know exactly what you thinking, now get some rest ok"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteenPresent day…

Tim stirred from being unexpectedly knocked out, presumably by gas, at least he hoped it was gas, he tried hard to focus on something so that his vision could stop blurring but his concentration was short lived by the same voice coming from no where but everywhere at the same time

"You need to explain how you got in here" The voice demanded

Tim looked around the room, his body still lethargic from the gas as his head hung low

"I uh, have been searching for… this.. you" Tim mumbled

"How?" Batman's temper, or what little he did have was quickly fading

"I…uh… managed to hack into a computer on this sit… when I worked out who you are"

"Who am I?" The voice replied, Batman's voice mellowed out of curiosity

"That… you are Bruce Wayne… Batman is Bruce Wayne" His head slumped again towards his chest before he fought against it and held his head up "I have been searching for a long time"

"Your wrong" Batman walked away, although he would never show it, he was panicking on what to do over the situation, no one has ever found out unless eh wanted them to, and he spent a long time studying the person before he committed to telling them his identity, where as he has never met this boy from Adam, how can he know he is trust worthy

"No" Tim weakly shook his head "Your Batman and Dick is the first Robin who is now Nightwing I guess and then there was Jason Todd and after he died there were no more Robin's"

Batman stood in silence for a long time, enthralled at how this young boy found out so much about him "How did you find all this out?"

"I use to go and watch the flying Grayson's, after Dicks parents died you took him in and not long after that Robin appeared, and the first case he cracked was who killed the Grayson's I met him once"

"How did you know he was Dick?"

"Because… he did the quadruple somersault, then after he left you he became Nightwing in Bludahaven, the same time Dick Grayson signed into the police force there"

"How did you get into the computer?"

Tim smiled weakly "You need better security" Before he passed out again from the gas


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter FifteenPresent day…

"My apologies Sir, I did not realise you were back" Alfred came down the stone stairs quickly with a tray of appetisers and a drink "I have also got Oracle on the case of finding out who broke into the Cray" Alfred paused for a moment before realising something different "Oh my!"

"No need, I found out who it was" Batman didn't move from the large computer screen, knowing that Alfred had already spotted the knocked out boy, tied up in a chair which gave Alfred flash backs of seeing Jason like this for the first time

"Who is he?" Alfred moved over to the young boy, lifting his sleeping head up in his had so he could assess whether he would need any medical assistance once he awoke but seeing no bruising he guesses he was gassed

"Tim Drake, sixteen, moved to Gotham ten months ago, has never stayed any where longer than five before, his father has a medical condition that only Wayne Tech can treat so they have been moving closer to the area so that he can be treated"

"So he has parents?" Alfred sounded surprised

Batman turned his chair to face Alfred "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well the last two were orphans"

"He's not going to be a Robin, if that's what you're implying"

"Well he's definitely got the detective skills and doesn't look like he would be that hard to train" Alfred wasn't trying to convince Batman to train Tim into the next Robin, he was merely trying to find Batman's objective for keeping him in the cave unconscious for so long him

Batman paused for a moment "Thank you for you input Alfred but I will be making the decisions on what to do with the boy" He then turned back to the computer

"I'm sure you will Sir, if there is nothing else you will be needing, I shall retire upstairs, but I would recommend that he does not stay here all night, after all he does have a family who no doubt will start becoming concerned for him whereabouts" Alfred then goes back upstairs knowing full well that Batman way leaning over the keyboard his hands cupping his chin as he contemplated


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteenPresent day…

"Wake up" The swimming voice came through to Tim and then the sting of his cheek as it got slapped, from what seemed not to have been the first, as he opened his eyes he had for a moment forgot where he was but then seeing Batman standing before him it soon came back

"What… what time is it?" Tim gasped as he regained consciousness, the cave still dark gave no hint of whether it was day or night but he knew it was late by Batman's 'eight o'clock shadow' across his face, which was shaved before

"Two o'clock" Batman stood high thriving in Tim's worry, which was how he wanted him

"No, no I gotta got" Tim struggled to get himself free but was stopped by Batman's unnerving laugh

"You though that I was just going to let you go, that you could break into my cave, and than expect me to let you walk free" Batman leaned in close to the shaking Tim

"I… I dunno what I was expecting, I just wanted you to know" Tim quince at Batman's presence

"Well know I know and unless you tell me exactly why you did this, this arrangement could become tricky"

Tim looked at him, terrified by the thoughts running through his head about what Batman could be thinking

"But …"

"No, I don't, but I could keep you quiet" He reached into one of his compartments in his utility belt and produced a rather large syringe which only held a sedative "One dose of this and you would end up in Arkham, constantly gibbering about you contact with me, but no one would listen to you, you would just be another gibbering high school student that had their brain scrambled because they experimented with the latest illegal drugs" Batman leaned in closer with the needle just a breath away from Tim's restricted arm

Tim could feel his heart thumping so hard he though he was going to pass out from it, or explode, Tim stared at Batman and he gave nothing away that made Tim think that maybe it was only a threat, but he didn't want to risk it

"Okay okay, please don't do it, I'm not going to tell anyone, I swear, I have known this for a long time and I haven't told any one, you gotta trust me"

"Trust you!" Batman shouted in his face, which made him flinch "You broke into my house!"

"I didn't know what else to do" Tim's voice quivering, this time more with rage, Batman was impressed at how quickly he could turn fear into rage, which is good if he ever came up against the Scarecrow, no Batman erased that though, this boy isn't joining him

"Do nothing, you should have deleted, no you will delete everything that you know and will never come here again, understood… understood!"

"No…no you need help" Tim defied his orders, it was now getting on Batman's nerve, he should be scared of him, he's just a kid

"You're not going to be a Robin!" Batman snarled in Tim's face before he pulled out a baterang, which made Tim jump as the blade came at him "Now get out!" Batman still angry turned away from Tim who then opened his eyes and let out a sigh of relief that he was still in one piece, the only thing that was missing was the rope holding him to the chair

Tim paused for a moment and then laughed which surprised Batman "I don't want to be a Robin, god do I look like as if I could do that, I wouldn't last a night out there!"

"Then what are you going to do to help me?"

"I'm not, well not personally, I just wanted to let you know that you need someone other that yourself, to be honest your looking pretty bad out there"

Batman turned and for a moment Tim though he was going to hit him "I am doing fine, better than fine"

"Yeah your getting the job done as good as ever, but there just something about you the last year or so and its not good, I was going to try and get Nightwing to work with you again, on a permanent bases because as much as you hate to admit it you need a Robin… to help balance you"

"Nightwing is not a Robin anymore and he has set himself up in Bludahaven, there is no way he would ever work like that again and basically I wouldn't want that, he's his own now, and I don't need some kid who I have never met before to give me advice on what I should and shouldn't do"

"Well obviously you do, because otherwise you would have found another Robin by now because that is the right thing to do"

Batman falls silent for a moment, Tim bracing himself for another outburst, which he has already become to expect from him

"There are no other Robins out there" Batman replied the sharpness in his voice gone "Dick was a natural, I didn't realise how good he was, how easy he was to train until I took Jason in, I then realised that no one could put a mark on Dicks abilities and after Jason got killed, by the joker, I knew that there would never be another one, because I made a promise to myself and everyone that knows me that I would never put another life in danger" Batman laughed quietly "I even tried to force Nightwing to quit"

Tim was gob smacked by Batman's honesty "Look what happened to Jason was awful I know, but you must have known that he wasn't the one from the start, you made mistakes that you would never make again, the next Robin, god forgive him, will have his work cut out"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter SeventeenPresent day…(three months later)

Oracle sat in the comfort of her dark clock tower, only the low glow of the computer screen lit the room, the often laughed at herself for working in the dark after Black Canary told her she was becoming more and more like the Batman, but now she realises why he like to work this way, its peaceful and whether she was having a good or a bad day no one would be able to tell and the past couple of month haven't been good, she was angry, someone managed to hack into Batman's Cray computer, the one that she set up and no someone has managed to break the codes and fire walls which she even hoped that she would never have to do again, but they managed to do all that and without being detected and she still cant locate who did it, She was annoyed with herself more than anything, she gave the person who did this credit for getting in, they must have been good, but she feels she let Batman down as after the shooting she could never help Batman physically ever again and this was the only way that she could prove to him that she could still be of use and still fight crime, she knows that she has been an indispensable use for Batman until now.

She sat at the computer for hours a day, which concerned her father, he never knew that she use to fight along side Batman as Batgirl and he still doesn't know she helps him with the fight against crime he just thinks that she doesn't socialize anymore because of her condition now, she knows this because she hacked into her fathers computer and read his journal, most of what includes things about Batman and how much he worries about his daughter… her.

She hadn't been in contact with Batman since he called her to say not to worry about finding out who got into the computer, that he will sort out the problem himself, which fed her all more paranoia that Batman didn't need her anymore. She couldn't handle not knowing for any longer whether she was needed any more so she finally pressed the buttons on the computer and gained access to the computer in the Batcave

"Batman?" The electronic voice of Oracle came over the computer in the Batcave

"Heelllooo!" The cheerful voice replied to her, which took her by surprise, it wasn't Dick, it was too young for him and besides he on route, she managed to get the two way screen open so that she could see who was speaking to her but she used the image of oracle to hide her identity "Oh my god" She gasped as the red and yellow vigilante filled the screen "Robin?"

"Got it in one" He smiled proudly before attempting to turn serious, he hadn't quite got that yet "Now who are you?"

"Who am I!" She shouted, how could Batman not tell him about her and how could he not tell her about him! "Where is he?"

"I'm here Oracle" Batman's now unfamiliar deep voice came over the speakers, but she could her the younger voice scoff in the background "Oracle what what kind of lame name is that!"

"It means all knowing and all seeing short pants!" She shouted

"Hey, obviously you cant see properly, I have changed the costume a bit" He stood proudly displaying the long red Kevlar suit still with the distinctive black and yellow cape, eye mask and the R symbol over his heart "Welcome to the 21st century Robin"

"Get back to your training" Batman ordered the Boy before turning his attentions to oracle "Is there a problem Oracle?"

"There is now who's the boy?"

"I though he properly introduce himself" Batman not rising to the tempered Oracle

"When were you going to tell anyone… wait am I the only one that doesn't know, that's why you haven't contacted me isn't it you don't need…." Oracle started to almost turn sonic with her panic

"Be quiet and stop over reacting Oracle, the reason I haven't got in contact with you is that I have been busy training Robin and you have been busy with JLA business and Birds of prey and your not the last person to know about him, in fact besides me and Alfred you're the only other person to know about him, I waiting until he is fully trained so I would appreciate it if you keep it to yourself"

Oracle was rather embarrassed by her outburst and so kept the rest of the conversation low key "Sure"

"Good, now is there anything else you want to ask?"

"No" She sheepishly replied

"Then I will get back to my work and I hope you do too, you are an important part of my plan, don't loose sight of that"

Although he wasn't very good with people, he always knew what to say when it was needed.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter eighteenPresent day…(six months later)

"Good now don't loose sight of the objective" Batman rang along side the running figure fighting in the war room, jumping and dodging every hit by the figures as he took them down "What's the objective Robin?" Batman kept talking to him hoping to improve his multi tasking of distraction

"To.. Uh…. Get to the end?" Robin gasped for breath as he continued the training

"What's the mission I asked, you need to listen to what I am asking you not just assume"

"Okay… to get the hostage"

"Good, you have ten seconds" He continued his count down, which he hoped, would panic Robin

Which it did, Robin became careless and just ran straight forward, with no awareness of figures behind him, until one got him in the back

"Ow!" He shouted as he fell to the floor

"Simulator off" Batman commanded, and with that the alleyways of Gotham along with the crooks and Hostage disappeared leaving a blank grey room

Robin stood wearingly to his feet rubbing his back where he was hit "Do you have to make them hurt so much"

"Yes, this isn't a game Robin, if this were real that shot would have hurt a hell of a lot more, you were careless and you obviously not ready"

"Not ready! Bruce I have been training for six months now and I haven't even left the cave yet, you don't know I'm not ready because I haven't done any thing"

"You just got yourself killed by a simulator, just be thankful that I found out the easy way that you're not ready"

"You mean rather than the hard way, like with Jason!" He mumbled to his self

"Don't back chat boy! I still don't have to have you as Robin remember"

"Good because I said I didn't want to be Robin, this is only for you"

"You don't want to be Robin, fine, don't waste any more of my time then and go home" Batman turned his back on him, Robin quince as he though about what he said

"Look I'm sorry, Jason was a bit below the belt, its just that i'm getting a bit of cabin fever you know, no matter how much training I have in here It doesn't really set me up for the real thing out there does it?"

Batman stayed silent for a moment "I realise that and it wont be long before we can do that, but I need to know you want this one hundred percent, not for me, for yourself"

"Make it two hundred" Robin smiled, Batman realised why he had Robins now

"We will continue training tomorrow after school now go shower and then home"

"Sure Bruce, uh I mean Batman" Batman always made aware that when they were in the suits there civilian names did not exist whether they were on the streets or in the cave.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen

Present day…

"Hey O!" The familiar voice entered the clock tower, which caused Barbara to jump

"How did you get in?" The anger in her voice attempted to cover her shock

"Pretty easy Babs… no security" He mockingly looked around the room "Where's all the lasers and fire breathing dragons tonight?"

"I can't get anything right!" She threw her head phones onto the keyboard and rested her head in her hands

"Hey no need to be like that, everyone makes mistakes"

"Yeah one that would get me killed and then everyone would find out all the heroes identities, Batman would never use me again… if I was still alive I mean"

"Of course he would still use you, you know how valuable you are to him and everyone else for that matter, why you panicking about it all of a sudden, has he said something?" Nightwing clenches his fists

"No he hasn't said anything, its that… that! Oh he must be getting on your nerves too!"

"Who's getting on my nerves?" Nightwing looked puzzled

"Oh…" Barbara gasped under her breath as she turned back to the computer; she had forgotten she was the only other person to know about Robin

"Barbara who?" Nightwing more demanding with his question after seeing her reaction


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty

Present day…

"Sir" A concerned Alfred enters the Batcave

"Yes Alfred" The deep voice echoed

"I feel I should warn you that Nightwing has just broke into the main grounds… would you like me to prepare the second sequence sir?"

"No Alfred, let him come" Batman continues to look at the screen monitoring Nightwing's movements as he lurks around Wayne manor in a almost demonic way, he knows about Robin

"As you wish Sir" Alfred sighed worryingly at the though of what might happen once Nightwing gets into the cave.

Batman sits in silence as he listens to the stillness of the cave fill with the sound of an air vent door being knocked off its hinges and crashing to the floor, he then hears the quieter sound of trained feet landing softly to the ground soon coming behind him, he is met by the younger man, of course in costume leaning over him in the chair, attempting to pen him in, Batman knows this face well and could see that his silence and deep breathing was the only way he could prevent himself from lashing out.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Nightwing threateningly questioned his former mentor

"I know exactly what I am thinking Nightwing" Batman's voice was almost patronizing

"Then you know that you're crazy…" He then pauses "He's just another… he's just a kid!" Batman was expecting the anger but he could also hear the pain in his voice, he knew he was thinking about Jason.

Batman stands from the chair and towers over his once partner and looks at Nightwing who's anger has disappeared as he stood in Batman's shadow, looking more concerned than threatening. Bruce looks at him and instead of seeing Nightwing, he sees a scared nine-year-old Dick.

"I am now aware that I cannot be everywhere all the time and so cannot help this city without aid and now that I have none, Gotham has become increasingly dangerous and I cannot prevent it from escalating alone"

"Then why didn't you contact me, I know that we… I would still be there if you needed me!"

"I know that you would be, but still you have moved on and any help from you would only be temporary, I need a fixed partner here in Gotham, even with Oracle, I need someone on the streets"

"But a kid?"

"You were younger than he was" Batman argued

"I was the lucky one, Jason wasn't" Nightwing Snapped Back

"Jason was a mistake"

"And that makes it alright for him to have died does it… or does it just help you sleep a little easier at night, knowing that he wasn't cut out for it?"

"Don't" Batman dangerously warned, causing Nightwing to hesitate for a moment, he knew he had over stepped the mark

"Look, all I'm saying is that you have been here before, surely there is someone older, more capable of doing the job already?

Batman shakes his head "No, no older, the younger they are the easier they are to train and the quicker they learn and adapt to new situations, I will not allow him into combat until I am sure that he is capable"

"That's what you said before with Jason, Barbara and now look at them, what are you hoping it's going to be third time lucky?!"

"No you were a natural, and I forgot how easy you were to train, show you something once and you would do it, you even showed me a thing or two, I got sloppy with Jason and I rushed him because…. I wanted to replace you" Batman moved away from Nightwing, embarrassed by how open he was, although if Nightwing didn't know him so well, he wouldn't have noticed

Nightwing stood there for a second, uncomfortable with the situation, he wasn't expecting such honesty, especially not off Batman, not now.

Nightwing stopped Batman from walking away by putting a hand on his shoulder

"I'm sorry but I haven't done it this time, I have been training the boy for over six months before you knew of him and he has already done everything and more than I showed you, he's not as easy to train as you were but he has something"

"I am sure you have done you research on him, what's his report?"

"His names Tim Drake, sixteen year's old, moved here with his father from San Diego, Oracle and myself have been surveying him since he found out my identity, a natural athletic and got into Gotham High with distinctions as well as hacking into the Cray and the Batcave un aided"

"Well you've certainly done your homework on this one" Nightwing quips as he leans over the computer screen, reading the large amount of data on Tim

"I said I was ensuring he was capable before taking him on"

"Wait… his father's alive?" He asked shocked

"Yes" Batman sounding slightly concerned

"Are you sure that's a good thing, I mean what if he find out?"

"I have Barbara on that, if she could conceal her identity from her father, i'm sure she has a few tips for Tim"

Nightwing stands from the computer and turn to look at the memorial case holding Jason's costume and then looking over to his own original Robin costume and shakes his head

"I still don't know Bruce, I mean sure he sound like the bees knees, but there are still accidents, he could still get…"

"I have already prepared him for the worst case scenarios and with your…"

"Oh no!" Nightwing knowing all too well what was coming next

"Help, showing him what you know, there are less chances off accidents" Batman pauses for a moment to see Nightwing's reaction

"We all have a part in this, you are a world class gymnast and fighter, Oracle is my eyes and ears, a computer genius, Alfred is the doctor and Tim is going to be a indispensable detective. I never noticed it before but we all have our roles in this fight, I have seen determination in Tim's eyes that I have only ever seen once before" Batman remained his lock on Nightwing, he knew he was talking about him

"Look I'm not saying that he isn't going to be a valuable source for you team, but I cannot stand by and help send another kid into your war, I just cant" Nightwing feeling almost ashamed that he cannot do this one thing for his mentor

"You could, you just choose not too" Batman's voice was like gravel

"Don't turn this round on me!" Nightwing's calm demeanour turned quickly "If you choose to send this boy to his death and take away a fathers son that's up to you but I cant"

"I take someone's life very seriously Dick" Batman scalds

"Obviously not seriously enough, or do you just like funerals?" Nightwing snapped back causing Batman to uncontrollably jump at him, taking Nightwing to the ground

"Stop it!" A voice in the background desperately shouted causing the two men to stop

"So this is him" Nightwing turned to look at the boy stood in the Robin suit as he pushed Batman off him and moved towards Tim who stood firmly in place although it as clear by his face he was scared "Been ease dropping have you?"

"You two aren't meant to fight"

"Really, well I'm sorry to disappoint" Nightwing un-gratifyingly responds as he walks away from

"Why cant you just get along?" Nightwing could hear the plea in the boy's voice but chooses to ignore the weakness and care

"Because he keeps bringing in kids like you! Dishonouring my name, the name my parents gave me before they died, which he took away from me and gave it to any one willing to die for him, my name!" Nightwing then walked away from Robin and looked at Batman coldly in the eyes before disappearing into the darkness


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty one

Present day… (Three months later)

The City seemed to hang around their feet, as they stood high above the dark city

"Are you sure I'm ready?… I mean, I haven't been out patrolling with you that much!" Robin's voice not matching the strong figure it came from

"You would rather clean up after me would you, or continue training in the cave?" Batman didn't look at Robin; he didn't want to show the boy any concerns on his capabilities

"No!" he gasped, he couldn't bare another thoughtless months in the cave "I mean no, your right" He looked down at the city although it was hell

"You need to do this, and this is the best time, when everything from your training is still fresh in your mind"

"But what if…"

"Just don't go getting yourself killed" This was Batman's attempt to relax Robin, which even caused himself to cringe "Any problems you know you can contact me, Oracle, Huntress…."

"Yeah yeah, Superman, the rest of the Justice league, I realize i'm not alone"

"But don't get too complacent with that thought, its still dangerous, you will meet difficulties"

"Yeah I know"

They stood there for a moment continuing to look over the city, which Robin will be patrolling, alone for the night

"Well?" Batman's voice broke the stillness

"Well what?" Robin looked confused

"Go!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty two

Present day…

"Hey O, what's cooking?" The cheerful voice came over the COM

"Oh just a couple of Birds that's all" The voice replied

"Oracle?" Nightwing replied

"Na hu, guess again handsome" The sassy voice teased

"Uh" He looked at the blacked screen puzzled, who else has access to Oracles hide out?

"Oh, is he always this slow Oracle?" The frustrated voice called over to more chatting in the background before the screen of his COM came to life, showing a blonde haired woman

"Black Canary, this is a surprise" He run his hand through his hair, Black Canary or Dinah Lance as he also knows her as was possibly one of his first superhero crushes as Robin

"I'm not the half of it, your turn" She looked over to another figure in the background before moving allowing the other person to speak

"Hey… 'Lover'" She replied gently, so that the others didn't hear

"Huntress! What's going on!" His shock audible in his voice

"Let me speak to him…. Nightwing?" Oracles voice sounded guarded

"Oracle, what's this?"

"Uh this, well its just something I have organised, since Batman doesn't need my full attention anymore I have more time to spend on other activities"

"Such as?"

"I have set up a new team, to assist Gotham"

"Yeah you can call us the 'Birds Of Prey'" Huntress and Black Canary shouted over Oracle as she sat there cringing

Nightwing stood there silence looking at his COM, shocked at how much is changing and seemingly so fast "Wow, well you seem to be making yourself busy, I guess I wont disturb you, must be demanding organising and… things"

"Yeah it has been, but it's going well, mostly undercover work"

"Well I wont get in you way, see you around" Nightwing feeling out of place, in more ways than one

"Oh yeah sure, well if you ever need anything contact me" Oracle obviously as awkward as Nightwing

"Or me" Huntress winked at the screen


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty three

Present day…

"Ok Timbo, you heard what the man had to say, no big loonies escaped, only thugs on the street, I can do this" Robin was feeling the loneliness hard, finding the silence hard, even though Batman never spoke, he still knew he was alone

But it wasn't long before he heard something, he turned quickly in the direction of the disturbance and spotted the group in an alley not much different from the one he was in all those years ago with Josh and his brother

"Just thugs" He mumbled to himself before diving down the alley

"I told you Lennie not to stick your nose in his business other wise you will get it cut off" The Bald, gold toothed thug grinned down at the beaten man being held by his gang

"N-n-o, no please Goldie, I didn't hear nufin I swear man, I wont tell anyone"

"I though you said you didn't hear anything, you mean I will have to cut your tongue out as well?"

"I think he's going to be needing those… Goldie is it?" The voice came from behind the man

It didn't take Goldie long to realise that this person would be trouble so as he turned around, he pulled the trigger of the gun already aimed at him

"Whoa!" Robin leaped quickly out of the firing line "Pretty quick on the old trigger Goldie" Robin quipped

"What!" Goldie blurted out in suprisement "Its just a kid"

"Don't insult me old man!" Robin growled, not use to the insults, not yet

"Get him!" Goldie ordered his gang who dropped Lennie who quickly scrambled to his feet and away

But before they had chance to make a move, Robin was already off the spot, making his way through the gang, slowly at first and not without a couple of knocks on the way, but it didn't take long for the silence to fall again, all bar a few groans from the still group

"How does it feel?" Robin replied, slightly out of breath to Goldie who had made his way to the end of the alley

"How does what feel?" Goldie snarled like a cornered dog before spotting his dropped gun just left to Robin

"To be beaten by 'just a kid'"

Goldie then dived for the gun, which Robin had already spotted was there, he waiting until Goldie was in mid air and had no way of pulling back, Goldie was met by Robins fist before he had chance to protect his face, knocking him to the ground unconscious

"I'll take that as a no comment" He quipped before taking his fist in his hand "Hope it hurt you as much as me" He rubbed his fist before continuing the clean up and it wasn't long before he heard more disturbances throughout Crime Alley

"Guess this it the start of the night shift then"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty four

Present day…

"Oracle, calling Oracle, you in there" Huntress called into Barbara's face

"She's swooning" Black Canary replied

"Swooning, what are you talking about?" Barbara sounding dazed

"Oh let me think, who could it be!" Huntress putting her finger to her lips mockingly

"Oh please, not this again" Barbara huffed as she turned back to work

"Well you either get over him"

"Or under him!" Black Canary interrupted playfully

"Not you too Canary!" Oracle scolded "Your like two cackling old women"

"Who you calling old!"

"Just get working will you" Oracle sighed, hiding the small smile, it was nice not to be alone

"Well we would if you gave us something to do other than sort out your love life, or lack of!"

"Alright! Just go patrolling, Batman's informed me its Robins first solo night so he wants him to be independent so remain under the radar unless necessary"

"Oh another Robin, wonder if he's as yummy as the other one!"

"Cool it, he's only sixteen"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty five

Present day…

Since Robins first solo mission, his confidence had grew and grew and Batman was satisfies with how well and quickly he was fulfilling his role and had even left Robin on several occasion with the city alone when he had been needed for Justice League business.

"How's everything going Robin?" The un-welcoming yet welcomed voice spoke to Tim

"Great!" His enthusiasm obvious from the adrenaline

"No problems?"

"No, stopped two mugging, a gang fight, couple of other little things as well, but nothing over eventful"

"Well be glad, you don't wish for thing like that to happen"

"No I know"

"Well you better go home now, he will be expecting you from your flight, I'll carry on for now, you haven any marks?"

"None that I can feel"

"Good, I'll speak to you tomorrow"

Although Tim was happy with the way the night went and was proud of himself for Batman to be satisfied with what he had achieved, he couldn't pin point it but something still didn't feel right.

He looked again at the city before taking out his personal mobile

"Hello?" The quietly spoken voice replied

"Hi Julie its Tim, sorry about the time, but i'm still at the airport, the plane has been delayed just in case he asks, he's ok though is he?"

"Yes your fathers fine Tim, sleeping like a baby"

"Good, I'll try not to make too much noise when I come in"

"Okay Tim"

Robin then hangs up and sitting on his custom made Bike he heads for the boarder to Bludahaven


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty six

Present day…

"Damn it!" Bruce slams his fist on the keyboard

"Something wrong Sir?" Alfred dreaded asking the question

"Tim has gone off radar"

"Well he is off duty now Master Bruce, maybe he has 'Tim' business to attend to" Alfred raised an eyebrow, he knew it was hard for Bruce to realise that Tim had a life other than what he had at the cave and out of his hands unlike Dick or Jason.

"Not as Robin he doesn't" Batman snapped back

"Ah" Alfred replied, he knew that there was nothing he could say to protect Tim now

"Yes exactly, he has gone into Bludahaven, I don't get signal from there, didn't think I would ever have to after…" Batman stopped and leaned on his arms

"After Nightwing? Do you believe that is why he has gone there?"

"Why else Alfred, you know how much that boy idolises him, for what little he has done for him!" The anger in his voice rose as he though more about it, that no matter how much he has done for Tim, it was still Nightwing, Robin, Dick that he looked up to.

"Sometime you just cant help that Sir, it has been a hard couple of years for Master Dick, I believe we could have done more for him" Alfred already holding his breath at what he had said waiting for it

"And what would you have liked me to have done better Alfred!" Bruce knowing he will regret retaliating the way he just had

"To have been there like you wanted him to for Tim" Alfred's voice was solemn, Bruce can't remember when, if ever Alfred had raised his voice, god he has had the need to, he though to himself

Batman stood there for a moment looking at his trusted friend, he wished he had his mask on, maybe even permanently fixed to his face "I know" The anger gone, leaving only the emptiness that is left after

"What would you like me to do, if anything Sir?" Alfred nodded his head slightly; he had become quite accustomed to the outbursts

"There's nothing we can do, i'm not chasing after him, if he wants to find Nightwing, he welcome, maybe the chase will be good for him, practice"

"Good to see your seeing things in a positive light" Alfred quipped before retreating upstairs

"Well he had better be thinking positive when he decides to come back to the cave, if I let him"


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty seven

Present day…

"Come on" Robin huffed as he continued surveying Bludahaven "Its not that bigger place"

He crept atop the buildings, although not as tall as those of Gotham but never the less traitorous as he found out, almost falling through a few abandoned buildings that had been consumed by decay, he found it hard to believe any one, or anything could possibly live in a place like this, let alone Nightwing.

There was finally life nearer the dock area

"Of course he would be" He though to himself, when he was Robin and even occasionally as Nightwing, if he was ever patrolling he would be at the docks, it was just his kind of crime he was use to and even enjoyed I suppose, Tim reckoned if it wasn't for the heavy gunfire below him, that the docks, although glum must be one of the nicer places of Bludahaven.

He didn't take long to head straight towards the action and went into stealth mode without even really thinking about it as he headed behind the gang, he had a good view of what all the shooting was in honour of, Nightwing

Robin, anxious about what he saw, a dozen or so men, all heavily armed taking aim at only one object, Nightwing and from the amount of debris and old shells, it had been going on for quite some time, he looked up at Nightwing and could tell that he had been dodging them for a while and appeared unhurt but was looking tired

He reached for his COM to contact help, he had never been trained in these situations, but paused before he pressed the connect button, if he done that Batman would know that he had defied his orders and that there would indefinitely be trouble, so he returned the COM to his belt and ascended up the crates, which allowed him to once again be atop of the action so he had a better stage to go by.

Nightwing continued to jump, dodge, anything he could think of not to get hit, he had attempted to get away but all possible exit had been blocked with men and if he got close to leaving the shots would get closer to him, he knew they were playing with him, for now, like a dancing monkey, until they got bored, he knew that they would be running out of bullets soon, some already had and than they would turn serious.

He had become accustomed to the method they would use and could almost to the bullet say where the next one would hit, in the same way they knew what he would do next, some were even laughing and cracking jokes at how Nightwing was still going and throwing money at him like a party trick, he though to himself that he would like nothing more than to give them some pain, if it wouldn't kill him.

Although his full attention was to those holding the still firing guns, he could not help but notice that the dwindling number of men were dramatically decreasing, had they got so bored that they had left, couldn't even be bothered to see the death of Nightwing he was that worthless, or had they gone to get more ammo he wondered to himself, so in-between the firing he kept sight of a small group at the back who for now were still watching in amusement the shooting until a look of panic hit their faces as they silently vanished one by one

"What!" Nightwing thought to himself as he paused for a moment to see what was going on

"Hey! Did I tell you to stop" A cigar smoking man called out before shooting at Nightwing's footings, causing him to fall onto the wooden crates below him with a smash. Nightwing cringed as he gasped for air as it was knocked out of him from the fall, but as he opened his slightly unstable eyes he noticed above him a silhouette of red and yellow

"No" He though to himself as he lay there for a moment, what was he doing here? Then the panic hit him as he saw Robin reach for a compartment in his utility belt, knowing he was going to make a move "No!" Nightwing shouted as he jumped up to his feet and quickly made his way up the crates towards Robin, forgetting the pain in his side, he had to get him out of here

"What the…" The man gasped as he watched Nightwing quickly jump up and away, he had never seen a man move so fast "Shoot him… now he's making a run for it!" He ordered, luckily he hadn't noticed Robin

"Oh God…. Nightwing!" Robin shouted loudly at him, had he completely forgotten that he had men firing at him he though as he watched him quickly make his way up towards him, although he had managed to remove many of the men who didn't have guns unnoticed, there were still too many there not for him to care about

For that brief moment Nightwing stopped to look at Robin, he was close enough now to see the concern on his face and the horror as Robin looked past him and down to the gunners below, at that second Nightwing looked around and saw what Robin was looking at, a direct shot at him, Nightwing quickly became airborne as he catapulted over a crate hopefully over towards the water which would be, at this speed the best landing point, but the shot was too advanced and before he had chance to take cover it hit him, the power of the shot knocked him towards the edge of the crate and the instant pain as it hit him caused him to go off balance as he let go of his grip

"Nightwing!" Robin shouted as he leaned out his hand as he watched him fall out of sight

"We got him boys, lets go find him" They laughed as they headed towards the direction in which he fell

Robin, thinking on his feet with the smoke pellets still in his hands knew that he could not let them find him and so did what he was going to in the beginning and threw them at the gang causing a more than needed cloud of smoke

"It him, it's the Bat" They terror in voice was loud as they ran in the bad visibility "Lets get outta here, no body's body is worth messing with him"

Robin let out a sigh of relief as he watched them flee in terror, he only wished that one day he would be able to strike the same sort of fear into thug's like Batman could, he then turned to the job in hand, he had to find Nightwing, and fast

It wasn't long before he heard a roaring from a supped up engine, were the goons back, Robin dreaded, but the relief came quickly as he spotted what appeared to be the Nightbird, or whatever it was called. Knowing the speed it was going it wasn't going to stop for him and so he quickly jumped at it and managed to get a good grip before it went around any particular sharp bends, it was when it stopped suddenly it flung him off

"Argh" Robin gritted his teeth as he landed as a heap on the floor, his own moaning was topped suddenly when he heard another laboured, pain filled breathing

"Nightwing?" The concerned voice whispered out when he finally noticed a dark figure slumped between two boxes

"Uh… you found me?" he grimaced as he watched Dick painfully struggle to pull himself up from the Damp ground "You get a prize for finding me?" Although he was in pain, Robin still knew he was bitter

Robin was about to reply, but he didn't know what to say, especially when the sound of gunfire interrupted his train of though, they had found them.

Nightwing, noticing that Robin was dazed from more gunfire, like a rabbit in the head lights Nightwing knew he wasn't going to move so he quickly, but with great effort, pulled the boy behind the protection of the car

"You… have to get in the car" He looked at the shocked expression on Robin as he looked down at him, Nightwing then weakly looked down at himself and notice the dark pool surrounding him and soaking through his Kevlar armour, Nightwing quickly yet gingerly covered his wound from Robin, snapping Robin out of his daze

"Get in the car… now!" Nightwing ordered through gritted teeth, the gunfire was getting closer and more precise; he couldn't risk getting shot again, not to mention how Batman would react if he got this Robin killed

With that order Robin nodded his head, still not knowing what to say as he got in the car, and without being asked helped Nightwing in also who was silently struggling

"Uh… you can… drive" Nightwing winced as he became weak

"How?" Robin's young voice panicked

Nightwing let out a moan before commanding quaking "Car… destination…. Urgh!" He then was overcome by the loss of blood and passed out

"Nightwing! Nightwing!" Robin shook him violently before sensibility came over and he checked for a pulse, he was just unconscious, for now

"Un-recognisable destination, please repeat destination" The electronic voice of the car broke his train of thought

Robin looked at the car for a moment, the firing was hitting the car now and he wasn't sure at how well the car was shielded so he would have to think fast "The Batcave" He repeated loudly and clearly, it was possibly the only logical place to go, although he knew Nightwing wouldn't think like that once he wakes up, which he will do, Robin though to himself

It didn't take long for the car to recognise the destination and the engine self started and tore fast past the gunners as Robin let out a sigh of relief as he looked at the men from behind, but the relief was short lived as Nightwing started to painfully stir, he was hurt bad

"Its alright Nightwing, just try and stay still" Robin compassionately placed his hands firmly on Nightwing's shoulders to keep him from moving too much which he was taught through his training with Batman, Nightwing had become delirious and was in shock as he mumbled loudly

"You've been shot but your going to the cave to get sorted"

"N-n-n-n-o-o-o ashamed" Nightwing slurred

Robin paused for a moment as he repeated the sentence over again "No its alright, there's no need to be ashamed, no one could possibly have got out of that unharmed"

"B-b-b-atman a-a-shamed…. Me" Robin wasn't sure but he was sure Nightwing was almost crying, and it didn't seem to be out of pain of the wound

"He wont be ashamed because of this, he'll just be worried that's all, although you know what he's like, he'll make it out to be his fault or he'll act angry" For the time that he has spent with Batman, he has amazed Bruce at how well he can read him

"N-n-not this… everything" He then passed out again, the blood was clearly soaking into the seats, it was even dampening though to where Robin was

"Come on were almost there, keep talking" Robin knew the blood lost was bad but no matter how much he was panicking the wound it was failing, he had even used his cape witch was of no use, had he lost too much blood, he kept saying over and over as he continued to check Nightwing's pulse which was getting fainter by the minute


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty eight

Present day…

"2:30" Batman said to himself as he looked at the computer "He is seriously pushing his luck" Batman then stood to pace the cave floor again

"I'm sure that if there were any problems he would contact you Sir" Alfred reassured him although he was growing concerned for Robins safety, both in Bludahaven and when he returns to the cave

"But what if he cant Alfred, I know there's no Jokers, as such there, but the people are possibly even worst than him"

"Don't think like that Sir, please" Alfred's face was concerned as he looked at Batman's expression as it deepened it was then that they heard an engine entering the tunnel if the cave

"Here we are see Sir, he's back"

Batman stayed silent for a moment listening eagerly to the sound "That's not Robin" with that the doors opened and the Nightbird parked at the centre of the cave

"Oh gosh" Alfred's concern was audible whereas Batman remained deathly silent as he headed for the car, they both knew something would be wrong for Nightwing to come here without notice

"Nightwing what's happened" Batman's stern voice covered his concern as he waited for him to open the doors, but the façade was ruined as the doors opened to a shaken up Robin

"I-its Nightwing" Was the only thing he could say. Batman then moved him out of the way and saw a deadly still Nightwing slumped to the side

"Alfred!" Batman called out as he lifted up Nightwing effortlessly and carried him over to the medical area

"Oh my" Alfred said as he saw the limp body in Batman's arm and watched the trail of continuous blood behind them "Robin, get me two bags of A negative" Alfred commanded to the shell shocked Robin "Robin, A negative" He firmly repeated, snapping him out of it

"It's a gun shot, lower abdomen" Batman informed Alfred, it was never long before Bruce could establish a injury, one of many natural talents he had "When did this happen?" Batman turned to Robin who was re-entering the room with the blood

"Uh about forty five minutes ago, he was…."

"I don't need to know how it happened, well discuss that later when we talk" Batman coldly snapped, before pausing for a moment to regain his composure "For now I would suggest you go home and out of my sight"

Robin stared for a moment before sheepishly nodding his head in notification and left. As he was doing so, Alfred paused from his caring of Nightwing and looked at Batman as he turned to him

"Not now Alfred please" Batman dangerously looked at him before turning his attention to the deadly still Nightwing "What's the damage?" His voice softening unknowingly to him

"Excessive blood loss caused by a gun shot entering his lower left abdomen and exiting through the back, luckily, for now as it hit his side I doubt it has hit any main arteries or organs"

"But we don't know yet?" Batman doesn't seem to have taken any comfort in Alfred's positive words


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty nine

Present day…

Tim opted to walk home rather than take a bus or cab, he needed to think and hopefully clear his head, and so he needed to take the long route. After about an hour after leaving the cave and Nightwing seemingly fighting for his life because of him, he arrived at home, five hours after being expected.

He opened the door gingerly, he knew that his father would still be asleep even though he knew his fathers carer Julie would already be up, probably pacing the floor waiting for his return. As expected she was there, sat at the kitchen table not seemingly doing anything except for looking at the clock on the wall. Julie had been caring for Tim's father for a long time and she has filled the place of Tim's mother, which he never really knew after she died when Tim was still a baby, although both of them would never admit to it.

"I'm home" Tim croaked, he wasn't in the mood for talking

"Oh Tim, thank god I was getting worried about you" Julies warm voice was a comfort from Batman's sharp words, she stopped to look at his ghostly pale face and dark eyes "You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired, i'm gonna go up" He knew him being tired was not good, too many questions and he could slip up

"My heavens what's happened! Look at you!" Julie gasped as she looked at Tim as the light caught him properly for the first time

Tim looked down at himself and then into the mirror on the stairs and his stomach turned in panic, with Batman kicking him out of the cave, he had forgotten to clean himself up and still had Nightwing's blood on him, he had to think fast although his head wasn't up to it

"This, oh I uh had another nose bleed, I get them sometimes after flying" Whereas the fact is that he had never had a nose bleed until he became Robin and got into conflicts

"You changed?" Julie raised her eyebrow puzzled

"Yeah, yeah, got most of it on my top"

"Well let me have it and I will wash it, blood stains terribly you know" She reached for the large leather hold haul which was slung over his shoulders which she had noticed had bulked up considerably as had the rest of his body the past year

"No!" He snapped as he jerked the bag from her grip as she jumped back in suprisement, he felt bad for this but he couldn't let her look in the bag as it was the bag that he carried his Robin suit in "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Its alright Tim, I know boys you age have… well they like their privacy" She smiled at his shocked face, but he was in no mood to question what she meant

"Yeah, i'm just tired, night, day, whatever you say"

"Bye Tim" She smiled at him walk up the stairs slowly, he seem so exhausted, he must have a girl, she tough to herself afterwards "lucky girl" She muttered to herself as she went back to her work


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Present day…

Tim's hope that the exhaustion and long walk would have tired him enough for him to be able to sleep, but his wish fell upon death ears, he couldn't help but think about what would be happening in the cave now, was Alfred still up to his elbows in blood? Was Nightwing still fighting for his life? Or had he woken up, in which case, does he blame him for getting shot? And Batman does he also blame him for Nightwing getting shot? Is he annoyed with his defiance not to go there? And the main one, which plagued his mind more than most, will Batman still, allow him to be Robin? Although Tim at the begging never wished to be a Robin in the same way Dick or Jason wanted to be, he knew how strongly Batman needed someone to fight by his side and so if that meant he needed to take up the role that so be it, Tim will admit, there were times in his training when it got so hard that he though he would never get to the end of the training, that he though that it was only Batman's way of getting him to change his mind, but eventually he began to see things in a different light, not only was it important tat Batman had a Robin, but Gotham had one too, he just hopes that Batman realises that.

It plagued Tm that he wasn't in control of anything, he was left in the dark, which he didn't like, and he had no way of turning he lights back on until Batman decides to contact him.

He sat in his room for a long time, silent as he sat there gazing, it was the first time he had seen another Hero injured, especially so badly and for it to have been Nightwing came as more of a shock for him, it was also the first time that he disobeyed Batman and it would be the last time he would ever do that, he just needed to tell Batman that he knows of his mistake and promises never to do it again, he had to see him. And with that he stood and grabbed is coat and rucksack and silently descended out of his bedroom window.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty one

Present day…

With the antithetic slowly wearing off, Nightwing for the first time since the shooting came around, he knew Batman was there, he could sense his presence like although he was standing right next to him, he guess he felt that because of how long they worked together and something, no matter how long, never go away. He caught sight of him as usual at the Cray looking, memorising each and every file on criminals that walked the streets of Gotham, from the petty to the insane, he knew them all, Nightwing felt awkward, as he always did now there,, he knew Batman hadn't noticed he had woken, otherwise he would have put the cowl back on, as he always did to conceal his emotions from Dick

"Whoa…" Nightwing finally groaned, letting Batman know he was awake, and as expected Batman put the cowl on and headed towards the bed, Nightwing waited until he was a bit closer before he spoke again "If I have one more near death fatality, I may have to reconsider my line of work" Nightwing quipped as he rubbed his head mockingly, even though it was his lower abdomen that was burning inside from the bullet wound, although he tried hard to disguise it

Batman showed no sign that he was listening, obviously to Nightwing showing his displeasure of his carelessness

"Look I know what…."

"Maybe you wouldn't have these near death experiences if you didn't put yourself in so much danger, you know by now that not everything can work out for the best in this job"

Nightwing looked at him tight lipped, even after all these years, Batman still feels the need to lecture him

"I know that but id rather die and know that I did all I could than just walk away, besides I wasn't putting myself in any more danger than I usually do, that robin distracted me!"

"That Robin is the only reason you are lying here as opposed to the morgue" Nightwing was surprised at how keenly he was to defend the boy, he had no idea of course at that time Batman had sent Tim away

Nightwing locked eyes with Batman for a moment, Batman showing no signs of remorse or concern over his well being before he turned away

"Well don't think that means I'm going to accept him" Then feeling the strain on his stomach, he gave in and lay back down and just before he closed his eyes he saw a flicker of yellow sweep from an above balcony in the Batcave

"Oh man" Nightwing felt a flicker of guilt in his chest as he knew Robin had been listening in, it was true, that if it wasn't for Robin he wouldn't be here, which is why he felt even more resent for the boy, a vigilante being saved by a kid was nothing to be thankful about, he just hoped it didn't get around

Robin moved away from the edge hoping neither of them spotted him spying on them he quickly put the headphones away which allowed him to listen to Batman and Nightwing's conversation which he now wished he hadn't. His stomach felt hollow, all he ever wanted to do was bring Batman and Robin back together, he never anticipated to become Robin but it seems all his efforts to impress the one man he wanted to had fallen flat. He stood to his feet, feeling crushed, he only ever wanted to do the right thing and if Nightwing wasn't going to accept him, who else would and so he decided that it would be the last Tim he would wear the suit again, he removed his eye mask and started to undo the Kevlar armour until he felt something, he turned to see Batman standing in the shadow, allowing only the white of the cowl eyes to reflect out of the darkness

"Batman" Robin staggered back so he was out of range in case Batman lashed out, although he knew if he really wanted to hit him, moving away was pointless

"I told you I would contact you" Batman replied dangerously

"I-I know but I just needed to see…"

"You have disobeyed me again, for whatever purpose of you visit, it is your last, thank you for making my decision easy" Batman goes to turn away, the hot tears filling Tim's eyes

"No! Don't please, I'm sorry" Tim grabbed hold of Batman arm, forcing him to stay

"You apologies mean nothing, you cant be trusted if you cant follow orders"

"I know, its wrong now and I will never do it again"

"No you wont, leave you're suit here, I will be changing the codes after tonight, goodbye Tim"

Tim paused for a moment looking at Batman through teary eyes, Batman held no remorse for his words, he knew that there was nothing he could do to change his mind, so taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes he spoke to Batman calmly

"Look I am sorry, honestly, and I just want to thank you for giving me this chance, even though I blew it" Tim then turned from Batman to go change back into his civilian clothes, Batman watched the boy walking soberly towards the changing area.

After Tim had changed he went over to Batman who was standing seemingly eight feet tall, Tim walked over and handed out the Robin costume, he though he was going to cry again but managed to contain it, he held out the suit for a while until looking at Batman as he wouldn't take it out of his hand

"What would you like me to do with this Sir?" He managed to croak out although didn't look at Batman in the eyes

"You are aware at how seriously I take this job, you are also aware at how seriously I take the people who work for me, it takes a long time for me to usually trust someone enough with my secret, now with you I didn't have that pleasure of choice, therefore I am always going to be more cautious with you on the foundation of bow you came to know my identity, you are also now aware that I don't like people that don't follow orders and that it is only on the basis that Alfred has advised me, that I am willing to give you another chance… on parole however" Alfred was of course not a wear of this conversation between himself and Batman but Bruce knew that Tim was a good kid, however much he denies it

Tim was buzzing, never did he think Batman would change his mind, and it took all his strength not to jump in the air ecstatically and hug him

"I wont let you down again Sir"


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty two

Three weeks later….

"Master Timothy will you be saying for tea?" Alfred asked the hard training Tim

"Uh yeah sure, if there is enough food?" Tim paused to wipe the beads of sweat off his forehead

"There's always enough food Sir" Alfred smiled pleasantly "Now clean up an we shall meet you in the dining room"

"We?" Tim paused to ask, he had become quite accustomed now that if he does stay for tea, he would enjoy it alone in the main kitchen as Alfred tidied

"Yes sir, Master Bruce and Master Dick are awaiting your arrival"

"On second thought Alfred I had better go home, I have things to do" He grabbed hi bag, he still found it awkward working with Bruce but he has still not spoken to Dick

"Master Tim, if I may" Alfred placed the few items which he held in his hand down and walked over to Tim "A man needs to learn to face his fears otherwise they will forever be a problem in a mans life"

"Yeah your right" Tim sighed, he knew Dick was only here a few more days once Dr Leslie gave him the all clear so knew this would be his only chance to talk to him

The dining room was bigger than most peoples houses but as Dick sat in the presence of Bruce it felt very very small, he sat there silently watching the clock pass away the minutes, he knew i'm was down stairs and at any moment he would also be here and although he denied it to himself, that felling he had was nerves

"Could he be taking anymore time" Dick echoed through the dining room to counteract his anxiousness

Bruce did not respond to Dick's words but looked at him with concern as he rubbed his abdomen where he was shot "Are you alright Dick?"

"Me? Yeah i'm, fine" His voice slightly higher than his usual tone, for a moment Dick though that his anxiousness was obvious before he realised what he was doing "Oh yeah, i'm just hungry that's all"

"Look, I think Tim is being very mature about all this, don't ruin it okay" Bruce could still make Dick feel like a seven year old

"I think I know how to contain myself Bruce," he replied before muttering, "I have coped with you"

Bruce heard the last remark but decided to let it slide, he wanted to keep Dick calm so that he doesn't ruin things, he wanted the pair to get on otherwise it would all be pointless, he has always wanted the group to work together well so that when the time comes he would not have to worry about unimportant arguments "Good" Was all he replied before Tim walked gingerly into the room

"Hi" Tim just audibly said as he sat at the table, Bruce replying but Dick sitting there silently but nodded his head in notification after Bruce's glare

"How was training?" Bruce asked, he already knew it went well as he had read the computers report but though it would be a good conversation starter

"Good, I think, the fake bad guys didn't get to hit me this time"

"Your doing well Tim, just keep as focused as you are now" Bruce smiled at Tim which was unusual but Tim knew it was only to make him more comfortable with the situation, the silence was more cringing that a really bad blind date! Bruce then turned to look at Dick who was seemingly playing with his food not taking a blind care notice of the conversation the two were having but Bruce knew he was taking every word into consideration, he trained him and knew how his mind worked, he would be de-fragmenting the situation piece by piece, buying his time until "You have seen the boys work Dick, how do you think he's doing?"

Dick looked up from his plate, he knew that Bruce would try to involve him, he is about the only person bar Alfred who can just about read Bruce like a book "Fine, from the little I have seen" Dick muttered

Tim was surprised by his acceptance to interact with them formally without an argument for now

"Thank you Dick, um I mean Mr Grayson or Ric…."

"Dicks fine" He interrupted Tim's babbling, he realised that he found it as awkward as he did, he took a deep breath realising that all this was pompous on his behalf, it wasn't Tim's fault, he never gave Jason so much stick about him taking his identity so why kick up now. Although he didn't admit he had seen more of Tim's work than he let be known to them both and was actually impressed by what he saw, more than he was with Jason and he started to realise that maybe he is finding it hard to accept him because he shows to be eventually a better Robin than he was, although Dick would never go back to being Robin, he had definitely grown from that and had got Nightwing now, he always knew that Jason's Robin never posed as much of a threat to Dicks importance in Batman's and Bruce's life, that no matter what Jason did it would always be Nightwing Batman would end up relying on, but with Tim now there is a lot of prospect for him and eventually it would be Robin who Batman looks to not Nightwing, but then would that be such a bad thing?

"You Just need to work on your moves" Dick replied before looking up at them both who seem to be shocked with his voluntary input

"Oh yeah of course, I find that the hard part" Tim awkwardly replied not sure what to say, Bruce just remained in the background, this is the first time they have spoken under normal circumstances

"You need to be more fluent that's all, learn to see things before you do them"

"Yeah I try to, I mean I know I will never be as good as you I know"

"Probably not, but I had been doing it for about fourteen years already before I was your age, I just need to teach you the basics to start"

"You mean you will help me?" Tim asked astonished by Dick's quick change in attitude, was he feeling okay?

"Yeah after all I do owe you but next time it happens with my training I hopefully won't have to get shot before i'm saved!" He replied sarcastically

"Yeah sounds like a good deal" Tim happiness was clearly visible before he turned to his meal in front of him

Bruce watched as Tim eat his food enthusiastically before turning to see Dick looking at him straight faced before he cracked open his famous smile with always made Bruce smile on the inside if not out, but this time he let it be know his contentment with the new situation as although Tim was a good alley he could never loose Dick over a Robin


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty three

Present day (Month later)….

"Hey what's cooking?" The sickly cheerful voice interrupted Oracles train of though

"Nothing" She replied bluntly, she had far too much work to do than banter with a kid

"Oh come on O, you cant still be in a mood with me, that was months ago

"In a mood with you? Now why would I be?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the young Robin on the screen

"Because i'm better than you" he innocently teased

"You! You are better than me!?" She scoffed

"Yeah, i'm better than the actual computer"

"Is that what you think I am… just a computer?"

"Well I did" He sounded devious, which concerned Barbara

"… Until?"

"Until I found out that you lived here" his voice turned lighter "Who would of though a girl like you would choose to live in a clock tower, I was expecting Quasi Modo!" He teased

Barbara looked around wondering where he could see her from

"Listen GEEK where are you!" Barbara could give as good as she got, after all she did use to go out with Nightwing

"Talk about calling the kettle black, you got more nerd gear in there than a tech store!"

"Yeah gear which you wouldn't know how to handle" she continues to glance around and finally spotted a flash of a yellow cape bellowing in the wind above a skylight

"Wouldn't be so sure about that"

"Oh yeah" with that she typed a command into the one computer and before Robin had chance to realise what was happening the window dropped opening, leaving him fall to the ground in front of Barbara

Tim landed at a heap on the ground, he grumbled as he got off his stomach so he was practically on his hands and knees, he looked up to see Barbara in front of him, "Oh my god" Tim gasped in suprisement as he looked at her properly for the first time

Barbara then remembered that she was in her wheel chair and felt embarrassed "What! You didn't expect me in a wheel chair!" She replied defensively

"No!" Tim replied gob smacked noticing her sadness hidden "God no, I didn't mean it like that, its just that your Batgirl!"

"Oh" Barbara replied quietly, ashamed at the way she reacted, "Yeah I was until I got shot"

"Yeah, your Barbara Gordon aren't you, the commissioners daughter, you got shot by the joker after he held you hostage"

"Not the highest point of my career" she replied sarcastically before she looked at the young boy inquisitively, "You certainly know your stuff"

Tim shrugged blazingly, "You need to in this business, schools pretty much sucks so I spent most of my time working out who you all are"

"Yeah well this business is a little bit more than just playing Sherlock, I found out the hard way"

"Batman's trained me, god has he trained me" Tim paused for a moment remembering something he once saw before replying, "And of course Nightwing has been helping me with the acrobatics and stuff"

"What!" Barbara gasped out before calming her self, She hadn't heard anything from him since he came to her when Huntress and Black Canary were there and she had been contacting Alfred daily and then weekly to see how he was doing after the shooting "Has he?" She turned to look at the computer screen, trying not to look bothered

Tim watched her body language, "Yeah, he's been at the cave quite a bit, surprised that you haven't spoken to him on the COM" He teased

Barbara stopped typing and glared at the screen before narrowing her eyes and turning to him, "You know don't you?"

Tim smiled widely at her before lifting his sleeve up to look at his watch, "Is that the time, I better get going, gotta go meet Nightwing for patrol, ta ta" he saluted sarcastically Before she threw her Batgirl doll at him as he made his way quickly out of the window

Barbara shook her head once he had gone, "I'm sure Batman clones them"

**The End**


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